Kerber inflicts 51-minute wipe out

Angelique Kerber is through to the 2018 Australian Open women's singles semi finals. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen/Fairfax

It took Germany’s Angelique Kerber a mere 51 minutes to wipe out American Madison Keys in the Australian Open women’s singles quarter finals on Wednesday afternoon.

Kerber took the blink-and-you-miss-it affair 6-1 6-2 at Rod Laver Arena to advance to a blockbuster semi final bout with first seeded Romanian Simona Halep.

Kerber needed just 21 minutes to wrap up the first set and the writing was on the wall for Keys.

Keys offered little resistance in the second set, which also did not eclipse the half hour mark.

Kerber, the 2016 Australian Open champion, delivered an ominous warning with the savage manner of victory.

It has been the continuation of a strong start to the season for Kerber, who was undefeated in singles matches at the Hopman Cup in Perth and then won the Sydney International tournament.

“I have a lot of confidence and belief in my game already, because I start the year good, played good in Perth, and I won Sydney,” Kerber said.

“That gives me a lot of confidence to coming here.”

Kerber – a two-time grand slam winner – has positive feelings each time she arrives at Melbourne Park.

This event will always be special because it was the grounds of her breakthrough grand slam triumph in 2016.

She went on to win the US Open later that year.

Kerber also feels comfortable navigating Melbourne.

“All the memories, of course, I will never forget the memories I had 2016 here, so that’s why I feel so good,” Kerber said.

“And I know all the places in Melbourne where I can go for, let’s say, a coffee or just when I have a day off. This gives me a lot of, yeah, confidence to be here and playing my best.”

Kerber is the 21st seed for the Australian Open, four spots below Keys.

But Kerber continued her dominance over Keys, winning her sixth match in seven head-to-head meetings.

Kerber was not interested in the historic aspect of the match up, preferring to focus on her side of the net.

“I’m not thinking about the records and head-to-heads,” Kerber said.

“Every match starts from zero. It’s a new tournament. We played so many matches, so I think just that I know what to expect. From me, it was not that I was looking on her side. I mean, like I said before this tournament, I’m just focusing on me and on every single day.”

Kerber served at a consistently high level and had just seven unforced errors, so she is a player at the top of her game at the minute.

The 30-year-old might be the best equipped to halt the progress of top-ranked Halep.

Kerber is looking forward to the challenge.

“I think it will be a long match with a lot of long rallies,” Kerber said.

“I played against her a lot of times and it was always tough and close.”